CC00007: John Lennon
- John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (10)
- Imagine (10)
- The John Lennon Collection (10)
- Lennon (9)
- Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon (7.5)
- Rock 'n' Roll (7)
- Shaved Fish (7)
- Imagine: John Lennon [OST] (7)
- Double Fantasy (6.5)
- Mind Games (6)
- Live Peace in Toronto 1969 (5)
- Sometime in New York City/Live Jam (5)
- Walls and Bridges (5)
- Menlove Ave. (5)
- Live in New York City (4.5)
- Milk & Honey (3.5)
- Two Virgins: Unfinished Music No. 1 (1.5)
- Life with the Lions: Unfinished Music #2 (1.5)
- Wedding Album (1.5)
This is the seventh in a continuing series I call Critical Consensus. I am averaging the opinions of several excellent music critics to produce a list of each artist's albums. The albums will each have a rating between 1 and 10. The albums will be listed in a recommended purchasing order, so new fans will have an idea of where the best place to start buying an artist's work is. These are not my opinions, although, since I have chosen the critics used (and I'm using many), my taste will perhaps seep through a bit.
Terribly nerdy, I know, but maybe this will help people only now beginning to dabble into certain artists' bodies of work.
One note on Lennon's ratings: The rating for Imagine is for the original mix. The newly released remixed version was too new to gain a true consensus, but many critics had some misgivings about the remixing job, so the new version could score a bit lower than the original.
Wow! quick work. Maybe it isn't as much work as I imagined, or maybe you've got a lot of time on your hands. In any case, thanks muchly.
I spent entirely too much time on this last night! My wife wasn't feeling well, so I spent most of the night by myself finishing up the Hitchcock (which I've been working on for at least a week) and creating this list. It helps that Lennon doesn't have so many solo albums as some artists have and that there is quite a bit of consensus on his work (unlike the Beach Boys, which felt like it took forever because of all the wildly differing opinions!).
George Harrison shouldn't take long, but Paul's got quite a bit to sort through. That may take a bit longer.
So, what do you think?
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
There are too many of these I havn't experienced. After John's death I couldn't bring myself to listen to any more of his recordings. Strange, perhaps, but there it is. (When the news of his death came over the radio, I was brushing a coat of liquid plastic onto cork tiles in a kitchen; the job was nearly ruined because my tears were falling into the plastic.)
I can understand that. At the time, I was, well, entirely too yoong to realize just how important and special Lennon was. I pretty much grew up in the post-Lennon age, so while I don't encounter much of the sorrow many do approaching Lennon's work, I do feel very, very cheated to have him robbed before I could appreciate him.
You probably know this, but the John Lennon Collection is a one-disc compilation, while Lennon is the one of the box sets. Unfortunately, after creating this list, I discovered that the John Lennon Collection is now out of print! Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon is also a single-disc compilation, but it fared a bit worse above than the original Collection did.
Since the titles are very similar, I thought a little clarification couldn't hurt.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I had just returned home from a five day trip and switched on the TV to catch the news. I remember thinking that this really is "the day the music died". Nice list anyway, lbangs.
Thank you. I'll date myself here. I was in second grade (I believe), and the principal announced the news over the intercom. Of course, we were too young to really feel the impact of the crushing loss (I was almost 7), but the only other time I remember a similar announcement was when Reagan was shot and when the Challenger exploded, so I believe Lennon was the first. Obviously, for that sort of treatment to be given to an artist cued us into how important he was.
As I stated above, now I just feel robbed. I have no memories of Lennon first-hand; I only have the music and the memories of others. Of course, that's enough, but I want more.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
And to date myself, my grade school memories are replete with intercom annoucement of the shooting of John Kennedy. At the time I was also too young to understand the implications of history unfolding around me.
Hey, did AC/DC rip off the beginning of John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band for the beginning of Hell's Bells, or what? A tribute from the strangest place...
Johnny Waco
PS Of course, the bells on POB are more disturbing than AC/DC's could ever wish to be.
I'd certainly love to be able to give AC/DC enough credit to think they did. If they didn't, I bet their producer, Mutt Lange (whom I'll be nice enough not to say more of), did.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Double Fantasy and Imagine are my faves. DF is so beautiful with Yoko and John working together. Has anyone heard Ono box? Its cool :x
To be honest, I haven't heard a ton of Ono's work, only a scattering of songs here and there. I really haven't been bowled over yet, but maybe I'll try to see if any of my friends have the box I can borrow.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs